Engine



April 9, 1935. R. N. DU Bols y Y ENGINE Filed May '7, 1932 IVENTOR.

Ff/7M 2V. Dago/'5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1935 Reith 'assigner to ,Y

y`Detroitj Mich.; a" corporati't'inr of Yiginia l u'y yBois;( lrrcssePointe Farmsyliich.; I

cntine'ntaly Motors Corperation,I

f Application May 7,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and refers moreparticularly to engines having sleeve valve means as distinguished fromthe more common poppet valve means. It is an object of-my invention toprovide improved driving means for the engine sleeve valves.

My invention is particularly related to engines having at least a pairof longitudinally extending cylinder banks or rows, it being customaryto have these rows positioned with a V arrangement, although thecylinder rows may have their axes parallel in certain instances. Myinvention is further particularly related to engines of the singlesleeve valve type wherein a single sleeve valve associated with eachengine cylinder is given a combined reciprocating and oscillatingmovement in performing the usual well known valving functions of theengine.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a `more eiicient,compact, and simplified drive especially adapted for operating singlesleeve valves of the aforesaid type and particularly in connection withengines having V arranged cylinders. I desire it understood however,that my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the aforesaidarrangement of cylinders land if desired, more than one sleeve valve maybe associated with each cylinder and the sleeves may be operated withmovements deviating from the aforesaid combined motion.

In carrying out the objects of my invention in its more limited aspects,I have provided a valve shaft arranged in the V, the valve shaft havinga driving gear which meshes with a pair of sleeve driven gears, eachsleeve gear operating a crank which is connected to the sleeve valveassociated with one of the V arranged cylinders.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as thisspecification progresses, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing illustrating one embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view transversely of the engine andillustrating a typical pair of V arranged cylinders,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the driving means for a pair ofassociated sleeve valves, and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan View illustrating the brackets for supportingsuccessive pairs of sleeve gears.

In the drawing I have illustrated my invention in connection with anengine of the V type wherein each cylinder has a single sleeve valveassociated therewith of the aforesaid type. Thus, A

(Cl. 12S-81) represents the engine having a pair of cylinders I and II,it being understood that these cylinders are typical of the remainingcylinders of each row extending longitudinally of the engine. Withineach cylinder is a sleeve valve B having intake ports I2 and exhaustports I3 adapted to respectively cooperate with cylinder intake ports I4and exhaust ports I5. Within each sleeve Valve B is a piston I6, andwhere the pairs of cylinders are V arranged as illustrated, the pistonsI6 are connected in pairs to crankshaft I1 by reason of the usualconnecting rod I8 and articulated rod I9.

Located preferably between the V formed by the cylinder rows, I haveprovided a valveshaft or layshaft suitably driven from crankshaft I1 asby sprockets 20, 2| and connecting chain 22. The layshaft C is providedat spaced points along its length with driving gears 23, one of which isshown in Figs. 1 and 2, the gears 23 being located between each pair ofcylinders such as the pair I0 and I I. The gear 23 is preferably a wormgear and meshing with each gear is a pair of V arranged driven sleevegears 24, 25, these gears being in the form of worm wheels. The sleevegears 24, preferably lie in planes respectively and substantiallyparallel with the axes of the associated sleeve valve and cylinder andwhere the cylinders are V arranged these planes intersect at the axis oflayshaft C as will be readily apparent. 'Ihe sleeve gears 24, and 25 arerespectively supported by companion brackets 26 secured by bolts 21 tothe supporting structure 28 of the engine. If desired, each bracket 26may be formed with a separate plate 29 as best shown in Fig. 3 wherebyeach sleeve gear may be assembled as a unit in association with itsrelated sleeve valve.

Each sleeve gear is mounted for rotation on its bracket 26, a ballbearing assembly 3!)` for substantially frictionless movement beingprovided and held in assembled relation with the bracket by reason ofthe nut 3 I. Each of the sleeve gears such as the gear 25 in Fig. 2 isprovided with a crank 32 extending inwardly to the associated sleevevalve B, the latter having a driving lug 33 provided with a ball socket34 for receiving the ball portion 35. The inner cylindrical bore 36 ofthe ball portion is adapted to slidably engage crank 32 so that duringthe oscillation of the sleeve valve as crank 32 is rotated, the ballportion will rock in its socket 34 and also slide on crank 32 to permitthe aforesaid sleeve movement. In Fig. 2 the parts are shown for maximum1nward movement of sleeve B associated with sleeve gear and the dottedline 35 indicates the maximum outward position of the ball portion whencrank 32 has been rotated through an angle of degrees from the positionillustrated.

D represents the crankcase structure, the cylinders I0 and Il openingoutwardly therefrom generally above the crankcase structure with theengine and parts positioned as illustrated.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains that various modications and changes may be made thereincylinder rows, sleeve valve means'associated'witht.

the cylinders, a valveshaft between said rows, a

gear driven by the valveshaft, apalr of gears-lengaging said rst gear,and means for driving the sleeve valve means of adjacent cylinders insaid rows from said pair of gears, and a bracket for supporting each ofsaid pair of gears.

2. In an engine, a pair of V-arranged cylinders,

.a sleeve valve for each cylinder adapted to move with combinedoscillation and reciprocation, a sleeve gear adjacent each of saidcylinders, means for driving the sleeves from said sleeve gearsrespectively whereby to impart the aforesaid move- A`ment to saidsleeves, said sleeve gears extending in planes substantially parallelwith the axis of the sleeve associated therewith, a valveshai'tintermediate said V, said valveshaft having a drivingA gear meshing withsaid sleeve gears, and a supportingbracket for each of said 4sleevegears.'

RALPH N. DU BOIS.

